miR-216a may inhibit pancreatic tumor growth by targeting JAK2

FEBS Lett. 2015 Aug 4;589(17):2224-32. doi: 10.1016/j.febslet.2015.06.036. Epub 2015 Jul 3.

Abstract

This study was aimed to investigate miR-216a expression in pancreatic cancer and determine its effects on proliferation. miR-216a was found downregulated in pancreatic cancer tissues as compared to benign pancreatic lesions. JAK2 was identified as a miR-216a gene target. Further, in vivo treatment of PANC-1 tumors with miR-216a reduced JAK2 protein levels in the tumor and reduced tumor volume. In conclusion, miR-216a may function as a tumor suppressor regulating pancreatic cancer cells by targeting the JAK/STAT pathway. Further studies with a larger number of patient samples are necessary to fully explore the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of miR-216a for pancreatic cancer.

Keywords: Apoptosis; Cell proliferation; JAK2; Microarray miR-216a; Pancreatic cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 3' Untranslated Regions / genetics
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / genetics
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Down-Regulation
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Humans
  • Janus Kinase 2 / genetics*
  • Janus Kinase 2 / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • Middle Aged
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Tumor Burden / genetics
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays / methods

Substances

  • 3' Untranslated Regions
  • MIRN216 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • JAK2 protein, human
  • Janus Kinase 2